As mentioned in our last blog post, we’d like to talk about why it’s bad to ignore the low fuel warning light on your car, truck, or SUV’s dashboard. We’re not criticizing you; we’ve all done it, especially when gas prices soar. Still, driving on fumes can create an even more expensive problem, and Demore’s Automotive wants you to avoid this. Here’s why you should always keep gas in your tank.
Low Fuel Equals Fuel Pump Damage
Unless you drive a classic car, your vehicle has an electric fuel pump. This pump draws gasoline from the fuel tank and pushes it through into the motor so your vehicle can start and run. When your gas tank is at least half-full, the gasoline in the tank works as coolant, if you will, for the fuel pump’s electric motor. If you drive on fumes, your fuel pump draws air instead of gasoline through it and this will overheat the fuel pump’s motor. This can not only damage the fuel pump but also your engine, as it will run off an incorrect air/fuel mixture, which is also crucial to start and run your car, truck, or SUV.
You Risk Running Out of Gas
Another reason why you shouldn’t drive on fumes is you risk running out of gas. Depending on where your vehicle dies, you could cause a traffic jam and be left to deal with a lot of angry drivers. If you have roadside assistance, you will get a little bit of gas brought to you for free, but driving on one gallon to the nearest gas station opens your fuel pump up to the damage discussed above. If you don’t have roadside assistance, you’ll have to pay for the gas and/or a tow, which can cost a pretty penny. Plus, you don’t have the luxury of finding an affordable gas station with one gallon of gas.
You Push Sediment Through to the Engine
Finally, when your fuel pump is pushing the very last of the gas in the tank through to the engine it’s also pushing sediment through to the engine. Even if you buy the cleanest and most expensive gasoline you can find, there is sediment in it. This is a natural occurrence with gasoline. Your fuel filter will filter out as much sediment as it can but think of this like a cup full of water with sand in it. If you allow the cup to settle, you have sand on the bottom and water on top. The same is true with your gas tank. The lower the fuel in it the more sediment from the bottom is drawn into your engine.
Do your car and yourself a favor and keep your gas tank at least half full. If you must let it go lower than that, plan to refill it once it hits one-quarter of a tank. Call Demore’s Automotive in Palmer, MA, if you think you’re having fuel system problems in your car, truck, or SUV.
